Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Invest in truth and never sell it— in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
